Golf is one of the most popular sporting games played both recreationally and professionally worldwide. There are many aspects and subtleties to the game of golf that require practicing and mastery various skills and techniques. For example, there is the long game that requires driving, the intermediate game that requires the use of irons, and the short game for the putting green that requires the use and mastery of clubs referred to as putters. These are the three primary aspects to the game of golf that both amateurs and professionals seek to become proficient at and master. While the game of golf can be played year round in warm, sunny climates and regions, in climates and regions that experience winter—as well as less than optimum spring and fall weather—golf is generally restricted to the summer season. Though indoor facilities do exist in some places, most golfing aficionados don't have access to such facilities nor do they necessarily have the time to engage in such outside golf practice. Since putting is the easiest part of the golf game to simulate indoors, it is a simple matter to create makeshift putting greens that consist of nothing more than a cup laid on its side and placed at one end of a carpeted office room or game room. To better simulate putting greens requires the forming of a hole in the floor surface with some sort of cup or container placed therein for collecting the putted golf ball. More elaborate contrivances to simulate an indoor golf game, and especially for simulating golf putting, includes access to the floor from below to include a ball collection and retrieval system. Such systems can include pneumatics and electronic sensing apparatus to collect and even eject the golf balls. The prior art discloses a number of devices and systems for practicing the game of golf with an emphasis on providing some type of hole, indoors or outdoors, for accommodating the putting game.
For example, the Vinette patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,078) discloses a game ball target return apparatus and method that includes an improved ball return mechanism comprising a pressurizable ball return mechanism interconnected to the hole by means of a conduit and whereupon the chamber is pressurized when the ball reaches the chamber entrance for ejecting the ball therefrom.
The Van Holt, Jr. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,397) discloses a golf hole accessory for reducing the diameter and for increasing the visibility of a conventional golf hole.
The Sjoblom patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,053) discloses a golf cup insert that reduces the size of the hole of a golf cup so that the player is able to putt to a smaller hole. The golf cup insert is threadably engaged to a sleeve positioned within the hole so that the golf cup insert can be adjusted up or down within the hole.
The Reddick patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,719 B1) discloses a golf cup retaining holder for artificial greens that includes a retaining tube that is positioned in the ground at a selected area of the artificial green with the retaining tube held in vertical position by an anchor plate.
The Lawyles patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,767 B2) discloses an apparatus for golf putting practice that includes an insert used in floor mounted HVAC systems with the insert having at least one regulation size golf hole.
The Huston et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,371) discloses an indoor golf hole and installation system that includes a canister threadably engaged to a collar that is disposed within the subflooring of a room thereby allowing the canister to be vertically adjustable to accommodate carpets having different thicknesses.
The J. A. Gentiluomo patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,567,223) discloses a golf range ball handling means that includes an inclined floor, a ball retrieving gutter, a ball return means, a ball dispensing means, and a ball elevating means.
The Frotten patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,375) discloses a golf putting practice apparatus that includes a flat support plate from which a cup depends and into which the golf ball falls during putting practice.
The Boyes patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,944) discloses a golf cup retaining holder that supports therein a conventional golf cup for use on greens made of artificial grass.
The Birchler et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,063) discloses a heater register golf cup wherein a ball retrieval basket with an attached flagpole is supported within a collecting cup that seats within an opening formed on the flat plate of a conventional in-floor air duct.
The Barlow et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,491 B2) discloses a floating golf ball cup insert wherein the golf ball cup insert is able to move transversely in the vertical hole while being locked in place within the hole.
The Barak et al, patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,841) discloses a plug for an indoor or patio golf green and hole wherein the plug is level with the planar surface surrounding the golf ball cup and hole.
Nonetheless, despite the advantages of the prior art, there remains a need for a golf ball cup and retaining structure that can be secured to any supporting surface or substrate—indoor or outdoor—to which underside access is available so that the golf ball hole is able to extend downwardly from the supporting surface for allowing golf putting practice throughout the year, especially if the golf ball cup and retaining structure is located on an indoor surface, floor, or substrate.